What steps should be taken if you notice a gas leak during welding?

• A. Stop work, evacuate, close cylinder valve if safe, ventilate, notify supervisor.
• B. Increase gas flow and continue.
• C. Ignore and continue.
• D. Move away and call a friend.

Answer: (A)

When a gas leak is detected during welding, the priority is to remove people from danger and cut off the source of fuel and ignition. Stop the operation to eliminate any ignition sources, quickly evacuate to a safe area, and, if it can be done safely, close the cylinder valve to stop the gas flow. After that, ventilate the area to disperse any accumulating gas and notify a supervisor so the incident can be managed and any additional steps (like shutting down equipment or contacting emergency services) can be taken. This sequence protects workers from fire or explosion risks and from inhaling hazardous gases. The other options don’t address the hazard adequately: increasing gas flow or continuing only feeds the danger, ignoring the leak ignores a serious safety threat, and simply moving away and calling a friend lacks the structure and authority needed to handle a gas-release emergency properly.